The Office of the Health Ombud is an independent body established under the National Health Amendment Act of 2013, and it is located within the Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC). The Office is assisted by persons designated and seconded by the OHSC with the concurrence of the Ombud and reports to and is accountable to the Minister of Health.
The Ombud may, on receipt of a written or verbal complaint relating to norms and standards, or on his own initiative, consider, investigate and dispose of the complaint in a fair, economical and expeditious manner. In executing his mandate the Health Ombud is assisted by a team of investigators with clinical and legal expertise, to investigate and resolve complaints in all health establishments in South Africa.
To Protect and promote against infraction of quality of healthcare.
To consider, investigate and resolve complaints or infractions.
– Accountability – Effectiveness
– Independence – Professionalism
– Honesty – Confidentiality
– Advocacy – Results driven
(CCC)—OHSC employs Call centre operators to receive complaints from the public through calls, emails, and written letters. They register, record, and screen all complaints received and refer them to the next level as appropriate. All low-risk complaints are addressed at the call centre level
The programme comprises three sub-programmes:
(CCC)—OHSC employs Call centre operators to receive complaints from the public through calls, emails, and written letters. They register, record, and screen all complaints received and refer them to the next level as appropriate. All low-risk complaints are addressed at the call centre level
(CCC)—OHSC employs Call centre operators to receive complaints from the public through calls, emails, and written letters. They register, record, and screen all complaints received and refer them to the next level as appropriate. All low-risk complaints are addressed at the call centre level
The Office of the Health Ombud is mandated to consider, investigate and dispose of complaints relating to non-compliance with prescribed norms and standards in a procedurally fair, economical, and expeditious manner.
The CAU follows a formal process, contacting health establishments for information and following up on non-responses.
Screening should be completed within 15 working days, extendable by up to 15 working days if needed. After evaluation, the CAU refers high- and extreme-risk complaints to the Complaints Investigation Unit (CIU).
The Senior Investigator responsible for CCIU will provide a write-up on the process of investigating complaints.
The LINPMU is led by a Senior Investigator with five investigators and focuses on legal complaints, NPM functions, and providing legal expertise to the Health Ombud.
Professor Taole Mokoena is a medical graduate of the University of Natal, a Doctor of Philosophy graduate of the University of Oxford and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow.
He is a recently retired Professor, academic Head of the Department of Surgery, and chief Surgeon of the Department of General Surgery at the University of Pretoria and Steve Biko Academic Hospital. He continues on a part-time sessional basis to teach, train, and supervise undergraduate and postgraduate medical students and research. He has academic and research experience in clinical surgery and laboratory immunology in South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Canada, where he has spent extended study and work.
Prof Mokoena’s clinical and research interests encompass immunology, oncology, and endocrinology. He previously worked in the renal transplant unit at the Universities of Natal and Witwatersrand, where he started an autologous bone marrow transplant programme and surgical endocrine clinic. He successfully undertook xenogeneic human-to-baboon stem cell transplant experiments at the University of Witwatersrand.
His clinical research activity’s current thrust is oncology, cancer, and trauma immune response…
The Health Ombud may, in terms of the Act, consider, investigate and dispose of the complaint relating to breaches of the norms and standards in a fair, economical and expeditious manner. A complaint may involve the following:
In conducting their investigation, the Ombud may be assisted by any person in discharging the following duties:
Obtaining affidavits or a declaration from any person;
The Act allows the Ombud to request an explanation from any person they reasonably suspect of having information that has a bearing on a matter under consideration or that is being or to be investigated. The Ombud also requires any person appearing as a witness to give evidence under oath or after having made an affirmation.
Your Voice Matters
SMS your complaint to 48090
Lodge a Complaint 080 911 6472
Email your complaint to complaints@healthombud.org.za
Safeguarding Quality Healthcare
Your Voice Matters
SMS your complaint to 48090
Lodge a Complaint 080 911 6472
Email your complaint to complaints@healthombud.org.za
Safeguarding Quality Healthcare
08:00 - 17:00
48090 SMS Line